# std::filesystem::current_path

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< cpp‎ | filesystem

Defined in header `<filesystem>` |  |
path current_path(); | (1) | (since C++17)
path current_path( std::error_code& ec ); | (2) | (since C++17)
void current_path( const std::filesystem::path& p ); | (3) | (since C++17)
void current_path( const std::filesystem::path& p, std::error_code& ec ) noexcept; | (4) | (since C++17)

Returns or changes the current path.

1,2) Returns the absolute path of the current working directory, obtained as if (in native format) by POSIX `getcwd`. (2) returns path() if error occurs.
3,4) Changes the current working directory to p, as if by POSIX `chdir`.

### Parameters

p | - | path to change the current working directory to
ec | - | out-parameter for error reporting in the non-throwing overloads

### Return value

1,2) Returns the current working directory.
3,4) (none)

### Exceptions

Any overload not marked `noexcept` may throw std::bad_alloc if memory allocation fails.

1) Throws std::filesystem::filesystem_error on underlying OS API errors, constructed with the OS error code as the error code argument.
2) Sets a std::error_code& parameter to the OS API error code if an OS API call fails, and executes ec.`clear`() if no errors occur.
3) Throws std::filesystem::filesystem_error on underlying OS API errors, constructed with p as the first path argument and the OS error code as the error code argument.
4) Sets a std::error_code& parameter to the OS API error code if an OS API call fails, and executes ec.`clear`() if no errors occur.

### Notes

The current working directory is the directory, associated with the process, that is used as the starting location in pathname resolution for relative paths.

The current path as returned by many operating systems is a dangerous global variable. It may be changed unexpectedly by third-party or system library functions, or by another thread.

### Example

Run this code

    #include <filesystem>
    #include <iostream>
    namespace fs = std::filesystem;

    int main()
    {
        std::cout << "Current path is " << fs::current_path() << '\n'; // (1)
        fs::current_path(fs::temp_directory_path()); // (3)
        std::cout << "Current path is " << fs::current_path() << '\n';
    }

Possible output:

    Current path is "D:/local/ConsoleApplication1"
    Current path is "E:/Temp"

### See also

temp_directory_path (C++17) | returns a directory suitable for temporary files (function)

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